Valve-control mechanism



May 24, 1927.

G. D. KAISER VALVE CONTROL MEcHANIsM Filed Aug. 2

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Patented May 24, 1927.

PATENT? OFFICE.

anon-cfa n. KAISER, orl CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VALVE-CONTROL MECHANISM.

Application filed August 2, 1920. Serial No. 400,842.

My invention relatesy to valve control means, and it has especial reference to means of the character vdesignated which may be employed in connection with tanks, espe cially those comprised intank cars wherein the side walls of the tank are subject tor defleet-ion and distortion upon receiving sucden strains.

In tank cars of the usual type, the tank is less rigid at its center than anyother place because of the vlarge opening vformed at the top of the tank which provides for the dome. The result of this is that when the car is traveling arounda sharp curve the tank may assume an oval contour in cross section. The valve may be opened thereby permitting the contents of the tank to leak out or escape. It is also possible that the valve will open when the tank car is in transit because of the vibrations that may be occasioned bythe movement of the car. When the tank is empty it will beV substantially circular in cross section but when filled it may attain a more or less oval form owing to the weight of the liquid contained in the tank. Unequal expansion and contraction because of temperature changes may affect the tank in length as well as diameter. All of. these conditions tend to affect the valve. As a consequence, in such tank cars the valve rod under the above strains may beso moved that the valve itself is frequently opened slightly and a loss of the liquid contents of the tank is suffered.

ln my present invention, l contemplate overcoming the effect of these distorting strains and stresses upon the valve so that.

the valve will always remain closed under all circumstances except when it is desired to empty the contents from thetank by authorized persons. l lOne object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a valve control which comprises a bracket that serves to firmly hold the valve opening-and-closing member in fixed position under Vall circumstances. In this connection I position a mechanism between a valve operating rod and the valve .opening- 4 and-closing member which mechanism is so connected to the operating rod and to the valve member that said valve member may seat itself accurately irrespective of the distance which the valve operating rod departs from the axis of the valve itself when the tank is distorted or undergoing distorting strains. This latter is of extreme advantage in that it eliminates the necessity for a ma- 4of the operation `of the `car and to other stresses and strains, will almost inevitably depart from its original placement,v irrespective of the accuracy of its original installment. To those skilled in the art, all of these circumstances represent a considerable monetary outlay and it is the purpose of my invention to so form a valve control means that the necessity for all of the above accuracy is eliminated because my control mechanism between the operating rod and the valve opening-and-closing member is so connected therebetween that the latter member seats itself in the valve opening with substantial accuracy irrespective of the departure from alignment of the guide bracket andthe valve operating rod.

Another object of my invention is to so form a bracket support for the vvalve control mechanism that the trapping of the liquid is eliminated and, at the same time` the leg members of the bracket still extend in a preferably longitudinal direction whereby they. are substantially divorced from the deflection of the sides of the'tank.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, for a better understanding of my invention:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of a tank car embodying my invention; i

' Fig. 2- is a cross section thereof illustrating the manner in` which the valve control bracket is formed and positioned; and

Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary view in elevational section showing the manner in which the various valve control elements are positioned 'and connected.

The'tank l is mounted. upon a car-line lill) body 2 which is supported on trucks 3 3. A valvel of any desired type ,comprises a valve.opening-and-closing member 4.

A bracket or supporting member 5 is secured to the bottom ot thetank lfand, reference to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the leg portions 6 and 7 thereof ,are bent in opposite directions whereby yfeet Sand 9,

which are secured to the bottom o ,t the tank,V

are positioned at pointsotlier thanthe lowest point otthe tank, althoughthe legs()A and V7y extend preferably `longituding,lly i of the tankand are so positioned that they are substantially at the lowest point of the tank. This particularconstruction ,o't bracket rcmoves the obstructionfrom the lowest point oft' the tank. which wouldotherwise be present it the ifeet were position-ed in alignment at the extreme bottom point of the tank. As above pointed o ut, it is apparent thatconsiderableliquid will be trapped in the tank when the bracket which we vhave just described has both of its feet positioned and aligned at the bottom point ot the tank. The yoke portion 10 of the bracket is interiorly provided with, s crewtlireads A11 withwhich engage the threads et amember 12 which vbyrotation is moved Avertically upwardly and .downwardly through` thej collar or yoke portion 10. Attached to the top of the member 12 by a` pinl isan operating rod,y llwhich is turned by a wheel 15 at its upper end and which is supportedvby, a guide bracket 16 situated within a dome 17 at the upperf portion ot the tank. 1t is to be understood that the rodltslides .freely in` the Isupport 16 and, ther etore that the deflection of the sides of the tankl, although it may cause the guide bracket 16 ,tomove out ot' its initial position does not atleet the rod 14; as is the case inthe usual present forms ofstructure wherein the rod let isin any manner lirmly secured toa high-point bracket such as .lt The 'rotation o1 the rod 1 4 serves toinove the member 12` vertically ineither direction in the screw threads 11.v

yThe bottom o't the member 12 has formed therein a reentrant portie-n 1S in which a luglf) integi.ally east. The portionlS is ot suiiicient dimensionst-o permit the entrance thereinto ot' a rod 42O which isprovided at itsupper end with-an annular channel 21. The rod is slipped into the opening 1 8 and then moved sidewardly to cause the lug 19 to engage inthe channel 21 and thereatter a. pin 22 is passedthrough the member 12 in, such position that therod `2O is secured thereto. The particular, manner in which the rod,issecured'tothe member 12, as just described, permits 'ot'loose movement of said rod.

The valve V opening-aiid-closing member 4 has formed therein a seat 23' i nto wliiclrthe lower end ofthe rody extends. Anannular channel. 24: is formed near the bottom end Aof the loose movement of the Arod 2O in the member et.

4The vstructure which I have ust described effectstile opening and closing movement of 'the valve loythe movement` or' the operating rodlgt which,. .horwever, is supported at the yoke'oft the bracket 5, the latter beingr supported, as shown, at the bottom .ofthe tank ywhereby the llexible sides.ot`, the tank d o not causethe rod 2 O. to y move relatively to the member tand thereby accidentally open the valve as would be the easelijlfl said; rod v20 were attached to al racket supported at the top oi the tank. l/loreover I have connected the valve opei1ing-a1id-closing inember l and the operating` rod .let tliatfiiia'chinelikeaccuracyin placing the bracket is not necessary. This follows because Iofthe loose connecting rod 20. Should the bracket ybe somewhat outgof alignmentw'ith the valve this rod 20 jwillfso swing from itsitrue vertical posi-tion that thelmember 1, will always seat Aitself with desirable accuracy;= which would not bev thecase,` obviously, if theu connection between the valve peratingi'od 14e andthe member .4 were rigid. `Under. the latter ,circumstances the closure member' 4L would be tilted to such a degree that it would not Vaccurately seatl itself. and a consequent loss ot'materi al would ,result. l

From vthe. foregoing description of my vialve control vit will bei'appaii-entthat the valve; opening-Land-closing membere is connected te the 'rod k20 atts lower end by means of alo'ose jfoint. This joint,j hbwever, v does not permit vertical movement of the .member t unles'sfthe rod 201s moved ver- ,tically-Y Also, 'thef d 20 at. its upper end is Vseated in thefinei ber 12 .but is; connected thereto by means of a loose oint which permitsy of relative 'movement betweenthe member 12 and the 'ro'd 20 although there is a very .slight longitudinal movement allowed between. these two members. The member 12 is- `rigidly .positioned within vthe bracket 5 which is subjected t0 `jtefw distorting strains only. tiny lost motion between the io'd'20 and'the'men'iber 4 'maybe takenfupwhen the valve operating rod 1&1- is screwed ydownwardly. i

l The 'valve Woperating lo@ '14 while slidserves to move the.' member"12J upwardly fand downwardly. reason ot' the relative rod 14. A

lt is thus obvious that thehv'lalve `Vwill'remain yel sed u n'de'rL all circun stances until openedbymeans of the proper operation of the valve operating?)` rod lll. Moreover,

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my valve control mechanism prohibits the valve opening-and-closing member 4 from being moved by any means exterior of the tank car which prevents pilfering of the contents of the tank, inasmuch as the valve opening-an'd-closing meinbei .4 cannot be pushed upwardly with a stick r other implement.

Ilhile I have described but one embodiment of my invention, I believe that the disposition of the various control elements, and particularly the employment of a loose rod, as shown in this particular connection, is entirely novel and I desire, therefore, that my invention be interpreted in its broadest aspects and be limite-d only by the showing of the prior art and by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In combination with a vessel having liexible walls, a valve therein, a valve opening and closing member therefor, a control rod for the latter, and a threadedly supported member universally connected to both said rod and said valve opening and closing member.

2. In combination with a vessel having fiexible walls, an opening in said vessel, a valve opening and closing member cooperating with said opening, asupporting bracket located adjacent said opening, a control rod operable from a point remote from said bracket to open andy close said opening, and a member threaded in said bracket and universally connected to said control rod and to said valve opening and closing member.

3. In combination with a tank having flexible walls, a valve comprising a valve opening and closing member, a valve control member one end of which is adapted to be operated from a portion of ysaid tank substantially opposite said valve and to be guided by means in combination with said tank portion, said tank portion beingvsubject to movement becausel of the flexibility of said walls, means for supporting the other end of said valve control member comprising a guide therefor, and means `connecting said member to said valve opening and closing member comprising a rod universally connected to each of said members whereby the latter is unaff cted by the movement of said tank wallsu n In combination with a vessel having flexible walls, a valve adapted to close an opening in said vessel, a bracket positioned adjacent said opening, a membery threaded in said bracket, a control rod operable from the top of said vessel and-universally connected to said member, and another universal connection between said valve and said member. Y

5. In combination with a vessel having exible walls, a valve therein subject to accidental opening and closing because of the flexibility of said walls, a control rod for said valve having a threaded member loosely connected to the bottoml thereof, a bracket supporte-d adjacent said walls having a. threaded portion engaged by said threaded member, and means comprising a rod loosely connected at one end to said threaded member and at the other end to said valve to open and close the latter. by the movement of the former.

6. In combination with ay vessel having flexible walls, a valve therein vsubject to accidental opening and closing because of said flexibility, a control rod operable from the top of the vessel, a valve rod nniver" sally connected to said valve, a bracket adjacent said valve, and means embodied in said bracket and guided thereby for permitting the universal movement of said control rod with respect to said valve rod.

7. In combination with a vessel having flexible walls, a valve therein subject to accidental openingv and closing because of said flexibility, a control rod operable from the top of the vessel, a valve rod universally connected to said valve, and means embodied in said bracket land guided thereby for permitting the universal movement of said control rod with respect to said valve rod, said means comprising a member threaded in said bracket and universally connected with said control rod and said valve rod.

8. In combination with a valve closure member and a valve iod controlling the same, a connecting member between the two which is so universally connected to each of the same that said valve closure member may be seated in accurate position irrespective of the .departure from proper axial alignment of said valve control rod, and a bracket threadedly supporting Said connecting member.

In witness whereof, I have herennto-subscribed my name.

ono. D. Karsnn. 

